SAP Built-in Connector Compatibility and Best Practices for SAP Integration with Logic Apps

Question

Hello @David Burg - MSFT I am currently working on implementing SAP integration with standard logic apps using the SAP built-in connector for a client, which relies on the SAP NCo 3.1 .NET Library. While reviewing the documentation at SAP integration with Logic Apps, I encountered an issue.

The documentation mainly focuses on the 'Register RFC' trigger for the built-in SAP connector, but it seems that this trigger is no longer available as shown in the provided screenshot.

My Questions:

1. SAP Built-in Connector Compatibility: Does the new SAP built-in connector trigger function when deployed in Azure, or is it exclusively functional in Visual Studio Code, similar to the 'Register RFC trigger'?
2. Optimal Data Retrieval from SAP: What is the recommended approach for retrieving data from SAP? Should the SAP team employ the trigger to send XML data to Logic Apps, or would it be more advisable to use a scheduled trigger in conjunction with an RFC call action, especially when dealing with potentially large datasets exceeding 1 million rows? Our ultimate goal is to format these XMLs and pass them to Labware LIMS.
3. Azure Logic Apps for SAP and Labware LIMS Integration: Can standard Azure Logic Apps serve as an effective integration platform or bridge between SAP and Labware LIMS? Are there any specific technology constraints or considerations we should be aware of when implementing this integration?

Your prompt response would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Answer 1

The screenshot shows the trigger for built-in SAP connector, I'm not sure what it shows to be missing. Maybe because we adjusted the name of the trigger after the preview?

The GA'ed SAP built-in connector indeed functions for trigger by SAP, and is available to both Azure-deployed apps and local Visual Studio Code testing. In the preview SAP built-in connector, we had a limitation for the SAP trigger and it was then limited to Visual Studio Code. This limitation is now resolved.

There is no difference in the amount of data transferred between a pull or a push model to retrieve data from SAP. However, there may be application-specific and ops-team-specific preferences for pull vs push model. For example, the receiving system may want to pull increment of the large dataset at its optimal pace. Or the ops-team may want to monitor the outcome of send batches from an SAP dashboard. Either approach is possible with the Logic Apps built-in SAP connector based on what fits the use case best. A cloud solution architect may be able to advise on a specific model after analyzing the application, users' and operators' needs.

I am not familiar with Labware LIMS and its protocols. You did mention XML, which is supported by Logic Apps. Furthermore, the Logic App SAP built-in connector already converts the SAP IDoc, BAPI and RFC payloads to XML. And Logic App has native support for XSLT transform, as well as a brand new Data Mapper to adapt the source and destination XML schemas. A priori it should be a good fit.